Pre-season testing in Bahrain hasn’t been plain-sailing for Mercedes, with a hydraulic issue curtailing 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell’s running on day two.

That wasn’t the only issue for Mercedes, who identified a “l😼oss of downforce” which they couldn’t explain.

Day three went better though, with Russell and Hamilton ✨showing better pace on the softer tyres.

• “We realise we have a mountain to cli🍨mb” - Hamilton downbeat after F1 testing

The pecking order going intꦿo Bahrain is still unclear, how𝓀ever, many have tipped Red Bull to have a significant advantage.

Ferrari🌳 look set to be their nearest challengers, while Mercedes should be the third-fastest tea🤪m.

With Hamilton still eyeing a record-breakiღng eighth world title, Croft believes Mercedes’ form could be a cause for conceꦛrn.

“There will be a lot of questions,” Croft said. “And if you’re Lewis Hamilton🐻 and his team, you have a great relationship with Mercedes, but you do want that eighth World Championship

“And you’re going to want reassurances that what might have been a blip last year isn’t going to turn into꧑ something more long term, and a car this year that is equally as problematic as the W13 was.”

McLaren also struggled during testing, meaning it could be another difficult season for 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris.

• Hamilton: Mercedes' 202♏3 F1 car still has "limitations"

Croft suggested that Norris might have to look elsewhere with McLaren likely to stru💎ggle again.

“I think he might be because the story💮 I think of the test so far, and McLaren were playing down expectations before we came to Bahrain, the story is McLaren might just have slipped back even further as we start the season,” he added. “That’s a worry for Lando.”